Quote:
Originally posted by rcwilco
posted by zebraman
Ron Pilo's own camp (SOWB) has received rave reviews from our Snohomish County Officials who have attended it and I would think it would be a prime candidate for certification. Just a question though Ron - if you're association is concerned about WOA camp attendance, why do you offer one that would appear to "compete" with the WOA camp and possibly draw campers away from the WOA camp? Not criticizing, just asking if you've thought about that.
Just a couple of thoughts on this.
First I am not speaking from a lot of experience with either the politics or camps. I am a JV official in the Seattle area, and the SOWB camp was excellent for me. It has some definite advantages over the WOA for me. The cost was more affordable which helps those of us on a tight budget. The camp was in August which works out great, as July is a terrible time for me. It featured many of the individuals who evaluate me during the season, giving me a chance to find out what they wanted and opportunites to work on specific items for advancement to varsity level. Next year I hope to have more money and attend two camps, either return to Ellensburg or go WOA.
As many officials as there are, I would think there would need to be more camps rather than less. I have found them to be invaluable so far. While Ron was a past President, the camp is sponsered by the SOWB organization not him.
I found your other comments interesting. It almost sounds like I will make as much or slightly more for my time as a JV offcial.
Hoping I have the chance sometime to meet you in person and either watch or be watched.
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Ron,
I agree wholeheartedly, I hear that SOWB puts on a great camp. I was just kind of wondering outloud about Ron's Mr. Pilo's reasons for not enough officials attending WOA camp. The WOA camp has only been $100.00 for quite a while and I think the cost to SOWB officials at the SOWB camp is $150... yet many (even our SCBOWBO officials) choose to attend SOWB camp over the WOA camp. So maybe the WOA camp is lacking something. I went to WOA camp last year and it was OK... but lacking in many ways. I know that the WOA executive board has been disappointed in recent attendance at WOA camps... but maybe it isn't that officials don't care (we have LOTS of officials going to other camps), but that they are finding more value at other camps. I push the WOA camp real hard every year to our group, yet our officials continue to go elsewhere (except for our state tournament officials this year who have to go - and are complaining bitterly about it). :-)
I have big concerns for retaining our "mid-level" officials under this 3-person implementation. I have heard that many associations will have the same three officials work both the JV and Varsity games. This will take JV games away from good upcoming officials and put them on the Frosh game instead. I also see it creating more of a "caste system." Those on the "varsity list" (we don't have a formal varsity list, but there is still a cut-off I suppose) will get to do some 3-person games and all the others will "only" do 2-person. So the officials doing the non-varsity games who are working their way up don't even get to practice 3-person at the lower levels. There are just so many things that worry me concerning retaining our mid-level group and attracting new officials. I hope I am wrong. I'm going along (I'm even going to the WOA camp this summer even though I'm ineligible for state this year) and am trying my hardest to be completely supportive... but every time I talk to one of our officials (or officials from other areas of this state), I hear how ticked off everyone is about their lack of involvement, their pay cut and the way the proposal that was rejected is now being put in anyway. I'd say that I've heard 95% against and I've probably talked to 40 officials about it.
Would love to meet you and/or work a game with you sometime.
Z
[Edited by zebraman on Jun 9th, 2004 at 02:36 AM]